12/11/2020 (Agence Europe) – Negotiators from the European Parliament and the Council of the EU reached an interim agreement on Thursday 12 November, following a second trilogue meeting, on the Commission’s proposal to make 2021 the European Year of Rail (see EUROPE 12439/7). Both institutions are expected to negotiate swiftly so that the programme for this European Year can be implemented on time from 1 January next. According to a European source, discussions have stalled in particular on the issue of funding. For example, Parliament’s position - to which the EU Council gave a mixed reception (see EUROPE 12588/8) - which proposes that European funds allocated to national post-Covid-19 recovery efforts should be used to extend and improve European rail infrastructure, has been relegated to the text’s recitals. EUROPE will continue to follow this story. (AC)